Portable burial-vault.



No. 692,067. Pate nted Jan. 28, I902.

- a; BLUKEY.

PORTABLE BURIAL VAULT. (Application filed Sept. 20, 1901. I (No Model.)v 2 sheets-sheet I.

Patented Jan. 28, I902. G. B. OKEY. PORTABLE BUBIAL VAULT.

(Applichtion filed. Sept. 20, 1901.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

terial.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

GEORGE E. OKEY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

PORTABLE BURIAL-VAULT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,067, dated January28, 1902.

Application filed September 20, 1901. Serial No. 75,672; (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE E. OKEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PortableBurial-Vaults, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is directed to improvements in portableburial-vaults, andthe particular matters of novelty in the construction thereinareillustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in connection therewiththe claims appended hereto will set out the preciseimprovement.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents the portable vault with the enddoor removedto illustrate more particularly the sheet-metal closureincased within a wall of plastic ma- Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection of the closed vault, in which is seen the fastening and thesealing of the end door, which in Fig. l is shown removed. Fig. 3 showsthe inner side of the end door of the vault with its ratchetfastening-arms. Fig. 4 shows an open frame which is fastened within thevault to receive and to fasten the vault end door and in connectiontherewith to form between the frame and the doora sealing-joint ofplastic material when the vault end door is fastened in place, as inFig. 2. Fig. 5 shows the inner side of the end door of the vault withits ratchetfastening-arms and the plastic sealing-joint as it is run inthe sealingspace when the end of the vault is closed against the openframe. Fig. 6 is a partial transverse section of the vault, showingapartof the open frame and the provision whereby the end door of the vault isfastened to said frame. Fig. 7 shows in vertical longitudinal sectiontheend door of the vault secured in place and the provision whereby the enddoor is sealed after being fastened to the open frame.

A sheet-metal closure 1 is made, preferably, of boiler-iron in sectionsriveted together and to a head 2 at one end, the other end being openand forming an oblong square. A suitable distance from its open end anopen frame 3 is riveted to the inner closure-walls. This frame ispreferably of malleable iron and at its inner open side is formed withan inwardlyprojectiug rib or flang'e 4 around its inner place.

11, an opening 14 in the top of the open frame,

walls at right angles thereto. The opposite vertical flanges or ribs areformed with vertical slots 5, and on the inner sides of these flangesare fastened plate-springs 6, so that their free ends approach eachother and overhang the upper and lower ends of the slots. The fasteningof these spring-plates is such as to hold their free ends against, ornearly so, the flange-walls 4, slightly overlapping the ends of theslots in said walls, as in Figs.

6 and 7, for a purpose which I shall presently state.

A solid door 8 closes the open end of the metal closure and standsentirely within the Walls of the latter. A rib or flange 9 projects atright angles from the inner wall of the door and preferably fits closelywithin the inner walls of the open frame and against the rib or flange 4of the open frame 3, as in Figs. 2 and 7, so that the joining of the twoflanges is continuous.

Ratchet-arms 10 are fixed to and project inward from the door inpositions to pass through the slots 5 in the vertical flanges or ribs 4of the open frame, and pushing back the ends of the plate-springs whichoverlap theends of the slots causes them to engage the ratchet-teeth onthe upper and lower edges of said arms, so that when the enddoor isdriven home its arms will be locked by the plate-springs of the inneropen frame. These ratchet-arms and the plate springs are of steel, andwhen the door is closed and fastened no access can be had to thefastening and the vault is secure with its casket.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 7, a space 11 is seen formed between the outerwalls of the flange of the door and the inner walls of the open frame,making such space continuous around and between these walls.

At the top of the vault an aperture 12 is made in the metal and opensinto this space 11, which is filled with cement 13, and thereby sealsthe joining of the solid door flange or rib 9 with the flange or rib 4of the open frame, by which the end door is locked in To permit offilling this sealing-space Fig. 4, registers with the aperture 12 in thesheet metal.

A plastic wall 15 incloses the metal closure and is applied by trowel atthe shop, so that the vault is a complete article of manufacture whencarried to the place of interment. This plastic wall I prefer to make ofa composition of cement and asbestos properly mixed, which forms a wallimpervious to water, prevents corrosion of the metal closure, and willnot crack.

The inner walls of the metal closure I prefer to coat with a compositionknown as rubberoid to prevent rusting and sweating.

It will be understood that the casket containing the corpse is shovedinto the vault at the place of interment. in place and locked. It isthen that the sealing of thejoining of the door with the inner openframe is effected, and for this purpose an opening 16 is left in theplastic wall, registering with the, aperture 12 in the metal closure,the plastic cement being run into and around the space 11, sealing thedoor at its inner side against the entrance of air. A slide 17 is seatedon ways 18, by which the casket is pushed into the vault.

In Figs. 1, 4, and 7 is seen how the open frame is riveted to the metalclosure, and the disposition of the rivets is to make a perfectly tightjoint between the frame and the inner walls of the metal closure.

It will also be understood the joining of the door with the inner wallsof the metal closure is made by aclose fit. While I have shown anddescribed a pair of ratchet-arms on the vertical sides .of thedoor-flange, like arms may be secured on the other sides of said flangeand the locking plate-springs correspondingly fastened on the openframe.

As shown in Fig. 5, these arms, at their ends fastened to thedoor-flange will be covered by the interior sealing-body surroundingsaid flange.

I claim 1. In a portable burial-vault and in combination, a metallicclosure open at one end an open frame riveted to the inner walls at saidopen end and having a right-angled inwardstanding continuous rib orflange provided with slots, and with plate-spring catches the free endswhereof overlap the ends of said slots, and a metallic end door formedwith an inward standing continuous rib or flange abutting the inward ribor flange of the open frame forming thereby a space between the innerwall of the open frame and the flange of the head or door, andratchet-arms fixed to the door-flange registering with the slots in Thedoor is then driven 3 the openframe adapted to engage the ends of theplate-sprin gs when the door orhead flange is driven against the openframe.

2. In a portable burial-vault and in combi-.

nation a metallic closure'open at one end, an

open frame riveted to the inner walls of said open end and having acontinuous inwardstanding rib or flange 4:, a metallic door formed withan inward flange or rib and abutting the open-frame flange or ribwhereby a space 11 is formed between the inner wall of the open frameand the flange of the door or head, a 'continuousseal filling for saidspace, and means whereby the flange or rib of the door is locked to theflange or rib of the in- 7o ner open frame.

3. In a portable burial-vault and in combination a metallic closure openatone end, an open frame riveted within saidopen end, a

metallic door for closing said open end, means on the open frame andmeans on the inner wall of the door whereby a continuous space is formedaround the inner wall of the door, an aperture in the metallic closureand an aperture in the open frame both apertures registering with thesurrounding space, a cement sealing within said space and means .wherebythe head is secured to the open frame.

' 4. In a portable burial-vault and in combi- 8 nation a metallicclosure open at one end, a flanged open frame forming. an abutmentwithin said open end, a door having flanges on its inner wall the saidflanges abuttingin the closed position of the door and forming 0 therebya sealing-space in communication with an aperture in the closure-wall,means fixed to said flanges whereby the door is fastened to theabutment-frame and a cement sealing in the space formed by the said 5-flanges. I

5. The herein-described portable burialvault consisting of a metallicclosure having an end door, means for fastening and means for sealingthe door, the inner closure-walls I00 having a coating of rubberoid, andthe outer closure-walls inclosed by a wall of cement having an aperturefor introducing the cement sealing for the fastened door.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature

